Untitled, sound installation - Argentina

Photo:
Onas Indigenous led by Maurice Maitre in Paris for the Universal Exhibition of Paris of 1889, editions Adolfo Kwasny, Punta Arenas, Chile

SOFIA MEDICI | ARGENTINA
1974, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Lives and works in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
LAURA KALAUZ
1975, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Lives and works in Zurich, Switzerland.

Courtesy: the artists.

Ethnic group: Selk’ nam or Onas.
Language: Selk’ nam (Ona).
Speaker: Lola Kiepja.
Location: Tierra del Fuego.
Population: 0.
Level of extinction: total (except for people of mixed race).

The audio was recorded between 1966 and 1967 by Anne Chapman, French-American anthropologist who recorded chants and texts of the last representative of the Selk’ nam culture, Lola Kiepja (who, furthermore, was considered to be a Shaman by her group).
“Here I am singing
The wind carries me
I am following in the footsteps of those that have died
I have been allowed to come to the Mountain of Power
I have arrived at the great Mountain Range of the Heavens
The power of those who have died comes back to me
From infinity they have spoken to me”.